Discover its two great cities as it flourishes amidst flurries of winter snow

Russia is a country awash with proud traditions, centuries of
history, unique architecture and fascinating politics - and what
better time to discover its two great cities than as it flourishes
amidst the flurries of winter snow.

Russian Winter Wonderland 2019Tour Details

London to Moscow

Following our flight to Moscow, we make our way to our hotel,
the Marriott Tverskaya, for the first two nights of the tour. On
arrival we experience a traditional Russian welcome ceremony, being
presented with bread, associated with hospitality, and salt,
representative of a long friendship.

Exploring Moscow

A huge, frenetic metropolis, Moscow has the largest population
of any city in Europe. No other Russian city offers quite the
enormous range of cultural heritage that Moscow has, having played
a pivotal role in both the country's political and industrial
history since the 13th century. Moscow in the winter is like a
novel brought to life, and today we discover it's many delights on
a full-day's sightseeing tour by coach.

These include the Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage site that
lies at the very centre of the city and is arguably the most famous
landmark in all of Russia. The walled citadel is home to the
Russian government and every leader, from the Tsars to Stalin and
the current president, has issued orders from within its walls.
Today the Kremlin also serves as the offi cial residence of the
country's president.

We see the iconic Red Square, home of the vast State History
Museum and the final resting place of Lenin, whose remains have
been carefully guarded in the square since his death in 1924.

We also pass by the Bolshoi Theatre, home to the well-known
ballet company, as well as many of the city's distinctive
cathedrals, the most famous of which is the Cathedral of Christ the
Saviour's.

Onwards to St Petersburg

After breakfast at our hotel, we board the high-speed Sapsan
train this afternoon to make the journey to Russia's former,
Imperial capital - St Petersburg. The train reaches speeds of over
150mph as it darts through the vast landscapes, allowing glimpses
of traditional Russian towns and villages from its windows.

This evening we arrive at our hotel, the 4-Star Helvetia Suites
Hotel in St Petersburg. Located close to Nevsky Prospekt, the
city's famous thoroughfare, this elegant hotel in located in a
historic building dating from1828. We sit down at our hotel tonight
to sample a delicious 3-course traditional menu.

On Day 4 we pay a visit to the Tsarskoye Selo
or the 'Tsar's Village', the impressive estate of the former
Russian royal family, whose crowning glory is the baroque style
Catherine Palace and its adjacent park.

Afterwards we get a true feeling for a Russian winter with a
horse-pulled troika ride through the snow-filled palace grounds.
Your evening is at leisure in St Petersburg, one of Russia's
best-loved cities. St Petersburg is a delight to explore, with its
grand boulevards and open squares boasting a plethora of
attractions and historical areas of interest. Why not enjoy dinner
in one of the cities many fantastic, traditional restaurants?

Tour of St Petersburg

Today we discover the rest of St Petersburg on a guided coach
tour. Surprisingly for such a large city, the vast metropolis of St
Petersburg was only developed about 300 years ago. The city
developed after a defensive garrison was constructed in order to
reduce the threat of Swedish attack.

After the St Peter and St Paul fortress was completed, the Tsar
decided to relocate the capital here, and the glorious new city was
built with an almost unlimited supply of money. The city was
completed in 1712, and further flourished under the reign of
Catherine the Great in the latter half of the 18th century, as she
financed some splendid architecture and the arts.

After the successful 1917 revolution, Lenin moved the capital
back to Moscow, and St Petersburg (now renamed Leningrad) was
largely neglected. Ironically, this did much to preserve it; the
city generally missed out on Soviet buildings and street planning.
When communism fell in 1991, St Petersburg regained its name, and
its wonderful historic centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage
site.

Today this magnificent city, with its grand boulevards and open
squares, is a delight to explore - boasting a wealth of historic
monuments and celebrated cultural attractions. We explore these
attraction today of a tour which includes the Hermitage, or Winter
Palace, the Church of our Saviour of Spilled Blood, Nevsky
Prospect, St. Isaac's Square and the Peter and Paul Fortress, which
occupies a commanding position on an island in the Neva River. This
is followed by a visit to a vodka museum, where you can partake in
an authentic tasting for that real Russian flavour. After warming
your cockles with the local tipple, there's some time at leisure
before a final group dinner at a nearby St Petersburg
restaurant.

Departure Times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be
found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices
& Availability' button. We write to all booked customers
approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise
the exact departure and return time for their particular group.